And twelve and one-half pee



Nov. 20, 1928. Re. 17,140

J. M. JONES METAL WHEEL Original Filed Nov. 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWW WW KMA Nov. 20' 1928.

META EL 2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Nov. 12, 1926 5141x 4; o z

Reissued Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. JONES, OF MANCHESTER, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TWENTY-SEVEN AND ONE-HALF PER CENT TO RALPH A. KEN- NEDY, 0F HAMILTON, OHIO, AND TWELVE AND ONE-HALF PER CENT T0 RICHARD G. KENNEDY, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

METAL WHEEL.

Original No. 1,642,207, dated September 13, 1927, Serial No. 148,002, filed November 12, 1926. Application for reissue filed March 31, 1928. Serial No, 266,404.

This invention relates to an all-metal wheel, the rim, hub and spoke components of which are welded into a rigid, staunch unit, constituting virtually a one-piece allsteel wheel. 3

One object of the invention is to provide a wheel of metallic spoke general characteristic as distinguished from the conventional orderof so-called wire wheel in which each one or at least a considerable number of the wires make a plurality of crossings or intersections with other wires, resulting in a wheel having the effect of wire netting between hub and rim.

Another object of my invention is to produce a staunch wheel the components of which are easily assembled into a simple, spoke, rim, and hub organization, best adapted for welding operations on a manufacturing scale and at the same time requiring a minimum of mechanical skill and technique in constituting the finished article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposition and arrangement of metallic spokes relative to one another and .to the rim and hub, in which the number of spokes, as well as the respective lengths of spokes, requisite to a wheel of predetermined size and strength shall be reduced to a numercial and lineal minimum, involving also a minimum of spoke intersecting points but withal producin a maximum strength and rigidity per number, length and weight of parts. p v

As the first factor of my concept involves the provision of a structure in which the load bearing spokes shall have the fewest possible intersecting points per number of spokes selected and hence being as slightly as possible angled to the radius of the wheel, I have first somewhat theoretically divided the wheel circle roughly into a series of approximate sectors, providing for each sector an individual three-member spoke group, as clearly indicated in Figure 4, illustrating the important factor that no member of this (or each) group intersects with a member of any other group.

. Each spoke group therefore is separate and distinct from the other groups, very much as if the sectors were originally metal Web-like spokes cut away or skeletonized into the three-spoke members or truss organized as to relative positionand disposition in a particular manner hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, I have shown the preferred embodiment of m invention as a demountable wheel in whic the elongated sleeve hub 1 may, be'of conventlonal pattern as also the rim 2 providing a tire holding channel. While it is not of the essence of my invention it is most advantageously embodied in a sleeve hub of the standard type having a relatively large and small end 5, 6 respectively, representing a constructlon adapting the wheel for application to the front spindles or for application to the rear axles of an automobile. The lar er diameter hub end 5 provides an annu ar flange for spoke attachment as is also the case with the smaller end 6.

Details of the hub structure will pointed out.

The individual three-member spoke group of which there is one group, roughly, for each assumed sector of the wheel, comprises the spoke 4 connecting the rim with the smaller hub end 6, disposed in the. radial plane of the wheel axis and inclined to the vertical so that the group of these spokes 4, lie in the surface of a cone and constitute virtually brace rods in this radial plane. Associated with each of these relatively long bracing be later rods or radial spokes 4 is a pair of shorter spokes 3 which intersect in the radial plane of the spoke 4: at a point preferably near the hub and which short spokes connect the larger hub end 5 with the rim.

It will be understoodof course that the opposite ends of these spokes respectively are welded into the metal of the rim and of the hub flanges 5, 6 respectively. By preference, the pairs of crossing spokes 3 are inclined as slightly as possible to the radius forming in practice generallyv appreciably less than a 90 angle. lVhile these spokes 3 are shown as being in a vertical plane this is not absolutely essential, but, in practice, it is the crossing pairs of spokes 3 that are virtually short, load-bearing spokes, each pair of which is solidly braced and trussed by the radius rod Alying in the surface of the cone and in a plane which preferably bisects the angle of .intei'sectionof the crossed pairs of spokes 3.

' hub flanges.

By individual groups of three-member spokes it will be understood that I am distinguishing from group arrangements of spokes in which the members of a given or each group intersect with one or more of the members of the adjacent groups.

It will thus be seen that'my wheel is unique in that it may be assumed to'be built up by circumferentially assembling a'series of independent sector spoke units, Figure 4, each in and of itself being a complete three-member spoke body comprising a rim and a hub segment united by. the crossing pair of short spokes and braced by the long radial spokes which collectively lie in the surface of a cone.

The rim ends of the paired spokes are more Widely spaced than the hub ends, which is of advantage in the welding operations and enabling the relative. uniform spacing of the spokes around the hub flanges and along the Furthermore, the single crossing f each pair of short spokes'avoids the necessity of twisting wires to pass each other or of-materially ofi'setting them longitudinally of the There is but limited circumferential space or surface for spoke attachment provided by the hub flanges, and my system of arranging these three-1nember groups provides room and material for convenient and solid spoke attachment-,without unduly crowding or congesting the spokes in relation to the perilipery of the iub flanges.

As previously indicated, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide as stout a wheel as possible and also to provide a structure enabling the use of spokes of relatively short lengths.

As contrihutory to these objectives I have provided and prefer a special rim structure, the channel for the tire being defined by the rolled up or beaded edges '15 and the medial portion of the rim channel being formed with the inward depression 16 providing a hollow annular rib 17 on the inner side of the rim for spoke attachment. The length of spokes in removing a tire from the rim and provides as well, a medial annular air chamber under the tire body when seated on the rim..

Having thus defined the main and outstanding features of the invention, I will proceed to describe other details and refine, ments representing my preferred construction and providing a concrete example for give exact proportions or dimensions.

building'one practical embodiment of the invention.

The spokes are formed .with enlarged ends terminating in pins or protuberances, buttwelded and upset or headed into the rim and hub, tension being applied to secure the parts together in a taut or clamped relationship. Specifically, the spokes 3, 4 are shown as having enlarged ends 19 with pins 20 passing through apertures 11 in the bottom wall of the groove 10, and through apertures 18 in the rib 17 the pins or protuberances being upset to form the clamping heads 21.

. -The spokes 4, likewise, have enlarged ends 22 in the hub groove 13, said ends terminating in pins or protuberances 23 passing through the apertures 14 and 24, the ends of-the pins or protuberances being upset to provide clamping heads 25. i

Figure 5 illustrates a demountable rim modification wherein rim 2 isformed with a fixed flange 27 and a removable flange 28 held in place by the member 29.

Many of these details,.it will be understood, are not essential to the invention which is capable of many variations and which-admits of the application of many dillerent varieties of welding apparatus or process.

None of the metallic spokes are attached to the rim or hub flange at any considerable angle to the radius, thus providing good abutment contact and permitting a strong butt weld union.

It should. be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not attempt to Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Also it will be understood that these drawings make no effort to provide scaling, but that by preference I select spokes which are metallic rods rather than thin wires, and it is necessary to do this in order to have a'body of metal in the spoke adaptable to welding operations and to provide suficient metal to be upset into the metal of'the rims and hub flanges in a manner well understood bythe art.

Having described myinvention, I claimi 1. A metal wheel comprising a hub provided with enlarged inner and outer ends, the

. arranged in crossed relation, and spokes connected to the outer hub end and rim, there being one of the outer spokes for each pair of inner spokesand each outer spoke being arranged in a plane bisecting the angle of crossing of each pair of inner spokes.

2. A metal wheel comprising a hub, a rim,

and spokes provided with enlarged ends welded to one of said parts and provided at said ends with protuberances engaging and welded to such part.

3. A metal wheel having a hub provided with a groove, the bottom wall of the groove being provided with openings, and spokes having their inner ends secured in the openportions fitting in the groove.

4. A metal wheel having a hub provided with a groove, the groove being provided in the bottom wall thereof with openings, and spokes having their inner ends positioned in said openings and provided at said ends with enlarged portions fitting in the grooves, and said ends and their enlarged portions beingwelded to the hub.

5. A metal whe'el comprising a hub, a rim, one of said parts bein provided with open ings, and spokes having enlarged ends contacting with the part having the openings and provided with protuberances passing through the openings, the enlarged ends and protuberances being welded to said part and the protuberances being upset to provide heads between which and the enlarged ends said part is clamped.

6. A metal wheel comprising a hub provided at the inner and outer ends thereof with grooves, the bottom walls of the grooves being provided with openings, and spokes having enlarged ends and provided at said ends with pins, the enlarged ends fitting vin the grooves and the pins passing through the openings, and the pins being upset to provide heads between which and the enlarged ends the hub is clamped.

7, A metal wheel comprising a rim provided at its'inner side with an annular hollow rib, and spokes having enlarged ends contacting with the inner side ofthe rib, the spokes being provided at said ends with protuberances passing into the rib, and the protuberances being upset to provide heads 8. An all metal wheel comprising a rim and elongated sleeve hub, metallic spokes welded into the rim andhub ends and serially disposed in individual three-member groups,

mgs and provided at said ends with enlarged one of said members being arranged in a radial plane and the other two members being disposed in pairs intersecting in said radial plane.

9. An all metal wheel comprising a rim and elongated sleeve hub, metallic spokes welded into the rim and hub ends and serially disposed in individual three-member groups, one of said members being arranged in a radial-plane and the other two members being disposed in pairs intersecting in said radial plane, the said radial members lying in the surface of a cone.

10; An all metal wheel comprising a rim and elongated sleeve hub, metallic spokes welded into the rim and hub ends and serially disposed in individual three-member groups, a

the rim to the smaller hub flange, and a pair of shorter members intersecting in said radial plane and extending from the rib to said larger hub flange.

12. An all metal wheel comprising a rim, an elongated sleeve hub and a circumferential series of individual three-member spoke groups, each group comprising a radial brace rod and a pair of spokes crossingin the radial plane of said rod, the opposite ends of said rods and spokes being upset in the metal of the hub and rim ends respectively, providing tension securance of the rim in relation to the hub.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

JAMES, M. JONES. 

